Eye for a Recipe

This recipe from Ina Garten is a delicious take on an Italian favourite. Lightly cook garlic cloves and then roughly chop them with canned tomatoes in a food processor. Put the mixture back in the pot and add oil, fennel seed, red pepper flakes wine and seasoning. Simmer for a half hour, stir in basil and keep warm. Meanwhile, cook the penne until it is barely al dente. Add the cooked pasta and a little pasta water to the sauce. Serve sprinkled with basil and cheese.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Check the dried spices to be sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents. I used Unico tomatoes and a red wine from Frogpond Farm with a sulfite content below 10 parts per million. Genuine Parmesan is free of additives; the name will be stamped on the rind.

Simmer the sauce for 30 minutes before adding cooked pasta

Penne arrabiata

Ingredients:

2/3 cup (165 ml) good olive oil

1 cup (250 ml) whole peeled garlic cloves (24 cloves)

2 (28-ounce/796 ml) cans whole peeled tomatoes

2 teaspoons (10 ml) whole fennel seeds, chopped

1 teaspoon (5 ml) crushed red pepper flakes

1/3 cup (82.5 ml) dry red wine, such as Chianti

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup (60 ml) julienned fresh basil leaves, plus extra for serving

1 pound (454 g) dry penne rigate

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

Preparation:

In a medium (10-inch/25-cm) pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the garlic has softened and is lightly browned.

Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes, place them in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, and pulse until they’re roughly chopped. With a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to the food processor and pulse again to chop the garlic. Pour the tomato mixture into the pot with the olive oil, add the fennel, red pepper flakes, red wine, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the basil, taste for seasonings (it will be very spicy!), and keep warm over very low heat.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) kosher salt and the penne and cook according to the directions of the package.

Two minutes before the pasta is al dente, using a wire or spider strainer, lift the pasta out of the boiling water and add it to the sauce, along with ¼ cup (60 ml) of the pasta water. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until the pasta is al dente. Spoon the pasta into low shallow bowls, sprinkle with extra basil and Parmesan cheese, and serve hot. Serves 4-6.

From Ina Garten

This one-pot recipe from America’s Test Kitchen is perfect for supper on a cold winter night. Puree beans, tomatoes, juice and broth until smooth. Brown sausages and set aside. Cook onion, garlic, puree mixture, kale, tomatoes and seasoning. Add more beans, return the sausages to the pot and cook for about 10 minutes. Season and serve with crust bread.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Blue Menu beans are additive-free, or you could soak and cook ¾ cup (187.5 ml) dried beans. Unico tomatoes are free of additives. I used Better Than Bouillon paste for the broth and Free From hot Italian sausages.

One-pot Italian sausages with white beans and kale

Ingredients:

2 (15-ounce/425 g) cans cannellini beans, rinsed

1 (28-ounce/794 g) can diced tomatoes, drained with juice reserved

1 cup (250 ml) chicken broth

2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound (454 g) sweet or hot Italian sausage, pricked all over with fork

1 onion, chopped fine

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound (454 g) kale, stemmed and chopped

Salt and pepper

Preparation:

Puree ½ cup (125 ml) beans, ½ cup (125 ml) tomatoes, reserved tomato juice, and chicken broth in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add sausages and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes; transfer to plate.

Add onion to fat left in pot and cook until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomato puree mixture, kale, remaining drained tomatoes, and ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt, scraping up any browned bits. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until kale is wilted and tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in remaining beans, then nestle browned sausages and any accumulated juices into pot. Cover and simmer until sausages register 160 degrees F (71 degrees C) and sauce is thickened slightly, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve. Serve with crusty bread. Serves 4.

From America’s Test Kitchen

This recipe from NYT Cooking yields tasty and juicy chicken thighs. At least two hours before cooking (but preferably the day before) combine lemon peel, thyme or oregano, parsley, garlic, red pepper flakes and olive oil in a large bowl. Pat the chicken thighs dry and place sage leaves and sliced garlic under the skin. Toss the chicken with the marinade and refrigerate until ready to cook. To cook the chicken, place it skin side down in a heavy pan and place another heavy pan on top (or use a lighter pan weighted down with something heavy). Cook the chicken top of the stove for about 15 minutes or until the skin lifts easily from the pan. Place lemon slices on the bottom of the pan and place the browned chicken on top. Tuck the lemon peel and garlic from the marinate between the pieces of chicken. Bake in the oven until the chicken is cooked through. Cook’s note: I used six pieces of chicken instead of nine.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use fresh lemons and herbs. Check the red pepper flakes to make sure they don’t contain colour or anti-caking agents.

Marinate the chicken at least 2 hours or overnight

Flattened chicken thighs with roasted lemon slices

Ingredients:

2 lemons, rinsed

¼ cup (60 ml) fresh thyme or oregano leaves

1 ½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) chopped fresh sage leaves

1 ½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) chopped fresh Italian parsley

10 to 12 medium or large garlic cloves, peeled and smashed

1 teaspoon (5 ml) red chile flakes

3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

9 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

18 fresh sage leaves

3 to 4 large garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced (to yield 18 slices)

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 lemons, rinsed

Fresh thyme or oregano sprigs, for garnish

Preparation:

Make the marinade: Use a vegetable peeler to shave 9 large strips of peel from the lemons, taking care to cut into only the brightest yellow outer layer. Put strips in a large bowl or container and add thyme or oregano, sage, parsley, garlic, red chile flakes and olive oil.

Prepare the chicken: Pat each piece dry with paper towels. Using your fingers, gently separate the skin of each piece from the flesh, taking care to leave the skin attached at one end, to create a deep pocket between the skin and the flesh. Tuck 2 sage leaves and 2 garlic slices under the skin. Put the thigh in the bowl with the marinade and repeat with remaining thighs, sage and garlic. Turn the thighs gently to coat with the marinade. Cover bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, remove thighs from marinade and place them skin side up on a baking sheet. Reserve garlic cloves and lemon peel from the marinade; discard the liquid. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons (10 ml) salt over the chicken, then turn over and sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons (10 ml) salt.

Transfer 5 chicken thighs, skin side down, to a 10- or 12-inch (25- or 30-cm) cast-iron skillet. Put it over high heat and weigh down the chicken with the bottom of another cast-iron skillet. Or use a lighter skillet weighed down with a large full can, a brick or another heavy object. Make sure the bottom of the skillet is clean or place a sheet of parchment paper between the chicken and the top skillet.

Once chicken is sizzling loudly, reduce heat to medium and cook without moving for 10 to 15 minutes, until skin is brown and crisp. To check for doneness, gently lift the corner of a chicken thigh with a metal spatula. The skin will come away cleanly from the bottom of the pan when it is done. If it is still stuck, do not pull but let it cook a little longer.

When thighs are done, remove the weight and lift the chicken out of the pan, taking care to keep the skin attached to the thighs as you lift them. Transfer the thighs, skin side up, to a clean baking sheet or plate. Cook the remaining 4 chicken thighs in the same way. Pour off most of the fat from the skillet.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 450 degrees F (232 C). Cut lemons in half and squeeze gently to remove some of the juice. Cut crosswise into 1/8-inch (0.3-cm) slices and lay on paper towels to absorb more juice.

Place a layer of lemon slices in the skillet. Return all the browned chicken to the skillet on top of the lemons, skin side up. Tuck reserved lemon peel and garlic cloves down between the pieces.

Transfer skillet to oven for 20 to 30 minutes. To test, remove a thigh, pierce it on the flesh side with a knife, and check that the juices are clear and there is no redness near the bone. Remove pan from oven and let thighs rest in the pan 5 to 10 minutes. Tuck thyme or oregano sprigs around the thighs and serve from the pan at the table, with roasted lemon slices and garlic cloves. Serves 6.

From NYT Cooking

If you are looking for a meatless meal, try this NYT Cooking recipe for pesto beans. Brown pine nuts in oil, season with turmeric, salt and pepper and set the nut oil aside. Cook shallots and garlic, add beans and stock, simmer and then add Parmesan cheese. When the cheese has melted, remove the pan from the heat and stir in chopped basil. Serve drizzled with the pine nut oil, lemon juice and more Parmesan. Cook’s note: I omitted the lemon juice.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the nuts don’t contain preservatives and check the turmeric to make sure it does not contain colour or anti-caking agents. Use canned beans preserved only in salt or soak and cook 1 cup (250 ml) of dried cannellini beans. I use Better Than Bouillon chicken paste for the stock. Genuine Parmesan does not contain artificial ingredients; check for the name stamped on the rind.

Pesto beans

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons (120 ml) olive oil

¼ cup (60 ml) pine nuts or sliced almonds

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) ground turmeric

Salt and pepper

3 large shallots, sliced thinly (about 2 cups/500 ml)

5 garlic cloves, sliced thinly

2 (15.5-ounce/458-ml) cans cannellini beans or other creamy white beans, drained

1 cup (250 ml) vegetable or chicken stock

1 cup (250 ml) finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

1 ½ cups (375 ml) tightly packed basil leaves, preferably Genovese

1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Preparation:

Heat 6 tablespoons (90 ml) of the olive oil over medium-low heat in a 12-inch (30-cm) skillet or small Dutch oven. Add the pine nuts and, when the oil starts sizzling, stir occasionally until golden brown, about 5 minutes; turn off heat. Stir in the turmeric and season lightly with salt and pepper. Transfer to a small serving bowl.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of olive oil over medium-high in the same skillet. When warm, add the shallots and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring until just softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, and when sizzling (about 1 minute), stir in the beans and stock. Bring to a simmer then turn heat down to low.

In a few additions, sprinkle in the cheese, stirring vigorously to combine. When the cheese has melted into the broth and the mixture looks creamy, season to taste with salt and then turn off the heat. While the beans are still hot, tear the basil leaves (or roughly chop, if you prefer) and stir into the beans.

Serve hot, in bowls or on plates, drizzled with the sizzled nut oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and more black pepper and grated Parmesan, if desired. Serves 4.

From NYT Cooking